Improvement in brick-machines



taluni] iaia atnd l x effin.

'and to this end,

'fresh clay while the mold is held stationary.

f MORRIS D, WILLIAMS, 0F DAKOTA, IOL-WA.V

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and mal-:ing part'ofthe same.

To all whom Iit may concern Bc it known that I, Monms D. WrLLIAMs, ofDakota, in the county of Humboldt and State of Iowa, have 'invented anew and improved Brick-Machine; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enableothers skilled in the art torwhich' my invention apporta-ins to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accom panyin gdrawin g formingpart of this specification.

Figure l, sheet 1, is a side elevation of my improved brick-machine,showing the devices for operating the molds and for pressing andcarrying oli the bricks.

Figure 2, sheet 1, is a similar view of the opposite side of; themachine, part ot' the pug-mill being broken away to show the interior. l

Figure 3, sheet 1, is a front elevation ofthe machine.

Figure 4, sheet 2, is an edge view of the mold-wheel, detached from themachine.

Figure 5, sheet 2, is a detached side elevation of the same wheel.Figure 6, sheet 2, is a plan view ot-one ofthe molds detached from thewheel, and with the false bottom removed.

Figure 7, sheet'2, is a detached plan view of the temperingandpressing-wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures ot'lthc, drawing.

My invention has for its object to improve the construction andoperation ofmachines for pressing bricks;

It consists- First, in the combination ot adjustable false bottoms withthe brick-molds', which bottoms arev held stationary in the act ofpressing bricks, while the molds lnove, and which are moved to dischargethe bricks and receive It consists, secondly, in -the construction ofthe oscillating platens, whereby they are held in the proper positionwithin the platen-wheel to bear upon the molds as both platen andmold-wheels are rotated.

, It consists, thirdly, in the combination of devices for dischargingthe bricks and holding the molds in lposition while being filled. f

It consists, lastly, in the construction and combination of variousparts ofthe machine, as will be hereinalter described.

In the accompanying dra\v ing- A is the frame of the machine,constructed in the proper form to receive the working parts, and

,B is the pug-mill, mounted upon the frame in the usual manner.

C is the mold-wheel,` mounted upon a horizontal shaft, D, which has itsbearings in the side timbers E of the frame. rlhis wheelyissol arrangedwith relation tothe pug-mill that its periphery shall pass immedil -uponone side, surrounding the shaft D, and its periph- I ery, between theannular plate G and dat side of the wheel, is recessed at regularintervals to receive the brick-molds H, which are provided with'journals 'i' upon opposite ends, fitting and working within radialslots formed in the annular plate Gr and the dat sideot' the wheel.rThese slots are so arranged that when the molds are drawn in.l.heirouter edges shall be within the vwheel a short distance, but'when pushedoutward their outer edges shall be Hush with the periphery."

The molds are each formed with a movable false bottom, J, provided witha short stemv or shank, K,

upon its under surface, which extends through an open- Y ing formedcentrallyin the bottom of the mold into the recess in the sidel of thewheel, as shown in iig. 5.

Thefalsc bottoms ofthe molds are operated by means A of short levers L,which pass laterally through the dat side of the wheel, .to which theyare pivoted in sucha manner as to admit-ot' motion only in linesradiating from the center of the wheel.

- Their outer ends are provided with friction-rollers m, and their innerends are pivoted to short links n, which, in turn, are pivoted to the.Shanks of the false bottoms. By this arrangement the false bottoms areadapted for independent movement within the molds when the short leversL are operated.

Instead of connecting the inner euds'of the levers to the stems of thefalse bottoms hy'nieans of the links n,

the latter may be dispensed with and the stems cx-4 tended to connectdirectly with the levers, after passing through shortguide-strips orblocks aiixed 4to the .wheel within the recess -ashort distance from theannular plate G, as shown at O, fig'. 5.

'.lhe object of either connection is to prevent the circular movementincident to the inner end of the levers from being -coirnnunioated tothe false bottoms' during .their movements within themolds, as it isabsolutely essential 'thatthey shall movein lines perfectly parallel tothe sides of the molds in order to properlv form a brick.

P is the platen-wheel, mounted in rear of and inline with the mold-wheelupon a horizontal shaft, Q, having itis bearings in the side timbers Eof theframe.l

This wheel is constructed with a continuous periph'- eral recess, and isprovided, at regular intervals, with short radial arms R, projecting ashort distance from the periphery to furnish bearings for the journals0f the platens S.

The mold and platen-wheels are rotated iuopposite Y directions, and theplatens are so arranged upon the latter that they shall close the .moldssuccessively,

) molds.

Hthin the pug-mill is arranged a vertical shaft, T, having a series ot'inclined wings or bands, U, .so arranged uponrit as to sweep over thebottom of the mill when the shaft is rotated to temper the clay andforce it through the opening in the bottom into the brick- Upon thelower end of the vertical shaft, beneath the bottom of the pug-mill, issecured a beveled gearwheel, W, engaging with a similar wheel mountedupon the shaft ofthe mold-wheel.

From this latter sh' ft motion is communicated to the platen-wheelthrough the medium of gear-wheels XY, mounted respectively upon saidshaft and the shaft of the platen-wheel.

Z1 is an endless belt or apron arrangedupou trans-y verse shaftsimmediately beneath the mold-wheel to receive the bricks and dischargethemfrom the machine.

Motion is communicated 'to this apron by means of a small gear-wheel,A', upon the shaft B', engaging with the gear-wheel X, as fully shown infig. 1.

By the application of suitable power to the sweep G', affixed to thevertical shaft T, the mechanism' above described is putin motion.

Where steam or water is used, however, the sweep may be dispensed withand the poweralixed to the shaft of the mold or platen-wheel.

The operation is Vas follows:

rlhe machine being set in motion 'the mold and platen-wheels rotatetoward eachother.

One of the molds being under the opening in the the bottom of thepug-mill is filled with clay by the rotating vancs V, and Vwhile `*beingfilled-its outer edges are held up flush wth the periphery of the wheelO, by means of segmental guides, D', suspended from the under side oftheframe upon each side of the wheel (l, and upon whichthe journals fiofthe molds rest.

This operation insures the complete filling of the molds, from the factth'at while they are being'forced out the false bottoms are heldstationary against the main bottoms. 4 n

ThisA is accomplished by'means of the levers L, `whose outer-ends restupon acam, E', ailixed to the frame of the machine outside the wheel C,as shown in iig. 1, while the molds are being lled.

As the wheel 0 continues torotate the filled-.molds `andpressing-platens are brought together, the latter resting upon the edgesof the molds between the flanges of the wheel C, and covering the entiresnrface or month of the molds.

Just before a lled mold reaches the pressing-platen the journals of theformer clear the segmental'guidcs D', and the lever L clears the cam Asthe platen presses upon the mold the latter is forced back into thewheel, and as the falsebottom is stationary during this operation, theclay is Apressed to form the brick between said bottom and the platen;that is to say, the moving molds decrease in depth .to bring the falsebottoms nearer to the platen to press the clay.

After the bricks are pressed the ends ofthe levers strike a `cam, F',ailixed to the side of the frame, as shown in fig. 1, mving said leversupward, and the false bottoms out lof thelmolds to discharge the bricksupon the endless apron Z, by-w-hich they are carried out of the machine.

The false bottoms are again carried to the bottoms of the molds toreceivea fresh supply of clay by the contact of the lever with the camE.

The rollers 'in upon the levers are designed to facilitate the passageof the latter over the cam E' by rcducing the friction.

lhe platens are adapted to oscillate in their bearings to conformperfectly to the edges of the molds, and are made a trifle heavier' onone side of the center' to hold them in their proper position to bearupon the molds as both are rotated.

The-main bottoms of the molds are provided with set-screws, Gr', uponthe points of which cheff-.ilse bottoms are adapted to rest.

By adjusting these screws the thickness of the bricks is regulated, fromthe fact that the movement of the molds with'relationto the falsebottoms is increased or decreased. As the clay, after being pressed, isliable to adhere to the metallic surface of the false bottoms byatmospheric pressure, and so injure the bricks, I propose to face saidbottoms with flannel, or equivalent material, in order to overcome thisdifficulty.

I also propose to cover the working surfaces yof the platens with aslight coating'of sand for the same purpose, by placing a water-tank,B', and sand-box, 1', in the path of their' rotation, arranged in suchamanncr that the platens shall pass first through the witten-as shown infig.` 1, which will Wet `them suiicently to causethe adhesion of `thesand.

The -shaft of the platen-wheel is made adjustable longitudinally uponthe timbers E, by' any suitable means, for the purpose of adjusting thepressure of the platens upon the u iplds to regulate the consistency ofthe bricks. v

rlhe pressing surfaces of the platens are made slightlyrconvex, sothatthey shall leave the surface of the bricks, after pressing, slightlyconcave, to prevent tlre latter from being forced out of shape by theirown gravity when falling from the molds upon the endless apron. i

Having thus described my invention, f What I-claim as new, 'and desiretosecure by Letters Patent, is-V 1. '.Lhe combination, substantially asherein shown, -of the adjustableY false bottoms with the movable molds,for the purpose specified.

2. The convex oscillating platens S, constructed with one end heavierthan theother, to holdthem in the proper position within theplaten-wheel to bear upon the molds, as both'platen and mold-wheel arerotated', as herein set forth.

3. rlhe combination, with the mold and platenwheels, of the oscillatin gplatens S, the movable molds H, and false bottoms J, substantially asdescribed for the purpose specified.A

4. In combination with the'mold-whceL- the movable molds H, andadjustable false bottoms, J, substantially as described, for .thepurpose specified. 1

5. 1u combination with the molds H, and false bot- -toms J, the leversL, and cams E F', substantially as described for the purpose specified.

G. Inl combination with the Apivoted molds H, the segmental guides'D',substantially as described for the purpose specified.

7. In combination with the molds H, and false bottoms J, the set-screwsG', substantially as described for the purpose specified.

8. The arrangement of the water-tank H', and

sand-box I', with reference to the platens S, substautially asdescribed, for the purpose specified.

M. D. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses E, A. ELLswon'rH, G. H. Fnos'r.

